Maternal Use of Paracetamol Linked to Increased ADHD Risk in Children by Age 10: Research
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Synopsis
A recent study suggests that children, especially girls, whose mothers took paracetamol during pregnancy may have a higher risk of ADHD by age 10. The research emphasizes the need for further investigation into the implications of prenatal acetaminophen use.
Key Takeaways
- Maternal paracetamol use is linked to increased ADHD risk.
- The risk is higher in females than males.
- Study analyzed 307 mother-child pairs.
- Biomarker measurements reduce bias in findings.
- Further research is needed on prenatal acetaminophen exposure.
New Delhi, Feb 17 (NationPress) A recent study indicates that children, particularly females, born to mothers who consumed acetaminophen (paracetamol) during pregnancy may face a heightened risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by the time they reach age 10. The research, featured in the journal Nature Mental Health, revealed that children whose mothers exhibited biomarkers of acetaminophen in their plasma had a 3.15-fold increased likelihood of receiving an ADHD diagnosis.
The association was notably stronger in females compared to males, with girls exposed to APAP showing a 6.16-fold greater risk of ADHD. Conversely, this relationship was found to be less significant in males.
Paracetamol is commonly utilized during pregnancy, with about 70 percent of expectant mothers in the US, Europe, and Asia reportedly using it.
Despite being classified as a low-risk medication by regulatory bodies like the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, growing evidence suggests that it may elevate the risk of negative neurodevelopmental outcomes, including ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.
In this study, researchers from the University of Washington analyzed plasma biomarkers of acetaminophen exposure in a group of 307 mother-child pairs from the African American community.
They found that the presence of APAP in maternal blood samples taken during the second trimester was associated with increased odds of ADHD diagnosis in children by ages 8 to 10. In this cohort, APAP metabolites were identified in 20.2 percent of maternal plasma samples.
Furthermore, gene expression analysis of a subgroup of 174 participants revealed sex-specific transcriptional changes. In females, exposure to APAP was linked to the upregulation of immune-related pathways, including the heightened expression of immunoglobulin heavy constant gamma 1 (IGHG1).
This increased expression of IGHG1 was statistically connected to ADHD diagnoses, with mediation analysis indicating that APAP's impact on ADHD was partially mediated through the placental expression of this gene, according to the researchers.
The outcomes of this study are consistent with previous epidemiological research and experimental animal studies that have connected prenatal APAP exposure to neurodevelopmental issues.
By utilizing objective biomarker measurements, this study addressed bias concerns present in earlier studies that relied on self-reported APAP use, underscoring the need for more extensive research.
